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Insignia of Masaryk University Rector

Insignia form an indispensable part of Masaryk Universtiy traditions. As
early as the Middle Ages, insignia have stood for a sovereign symbol of
universities. At first, insignia reflected the exclusive status of
universities in the medieval society; in the modern times, however, the
meaning of insignia was reduced only to be fulfilling a representative
function. A seal, a sceptre and a medal with a chain represent the oldest
insignia of the university. The university could obtain its principal
insignias in a traditional way – insignias were donated by the founder of
the university or by another distinguished persona.

President Masaryk commissioned Otakar Španiel to design a new medal. The
foreside depicts a portrait of T. G. Masaryk; while the essential motif of
the reverse side is the dedication: “To
MasarykUniversity in
Brno by the President” together
with a facsimile of Masaryk's signature. The same foreside, but with
different reverse side – the central national emblem – appears on the
Vice-Chancellor chain medal.

The Rector's chain (obverse)Photo: Rudolf Červenka

The celebration ceremony of presenting insignias to Masaryk University
took place in the after-Munich atmosphere on 15 December 1938. At the outset
of the occupation, insignias were put in a safe at the Faculty of Law, which
was occupied in November 1939 (after the closure of the university). This
caused the later decision to keep the insignias in the Mortgage and Land
Bank of Moravia safe (Hypoteční a zemědělská banka moravská), where they
were kept until 1945. The rector’s sceptre as well as the rector’s and
vice-chancellor’s medals was sent to the Ministry of Education where they
were to be destroyed. Nevertheless, owing to the patriotic clerical workers,
these jewels were saved in the National Museum and at the Ministry.

In 1960, the university was renamed into the University of Jan
Evangelista Purkyně. In connection with this change, a new rector chain was
provided. Its medal depicted a portrait of J. E. Purkyně on the foreside –
which was inspired by his plaque medal in Prague made by Josef Václav
Myslbek – with the inscription of “UNIVERSITAS PURKYNIANA”. Watson’s and
Crick’s scheme of the deoxyribonucleic double spiral during its division was
used for the reverse side. The sketch was drawn by Pavel Bravený. The motto
of the faculty is “SCIENTIA EST POTENTIA”. The author of the pictorial
concept of the medal was the sculptor Andrej Peter. The medal of new
rector’s chain is different from its predecessors in its size – the caliber
was 80 mm, while all the other examples were minted with a caliber of 65 mm.
The chain had been used until the beginning of 1990 – a year when the
university returned to its original name.

UJEP rector chain - obverseUJEP rector chain - reverse

In 1937, a competition for designing university sceptres was announced.
Designs of Václav Rada and Ladislav Bartoníček won. The lion with a double
tail and a Slovak emblem on its shield was chosen for the capital of the
sceptre.

The Rector's mace

Faculty Insignia

The four founding faculties – the Faculty of Law, Medicine, Science and
Arts – have their own traditional insignias, medals with chains and
sceptres. Portraits of outstanding Czech personalities of particular science
fields were chosen for the foresides of the medals in 1936. Otakar Španiel
was the designer of all four medals – he also created the rector’s medal.
Along with him, Jaroslav Benda also contributed to the designs of the
chains. The medals of particular faculties depict portraits of distinguished
representatives of the subject fields at the faculties. Moreover, mottos
relating to these personalities form an integral part of the portraits. In
the period when other faculties were established, a need for new insignias
arose. A traditional conception to present a medal with a portrait of an
outstanding personality from a particular field was adopted; however, the
Faculty of Social Studies decided otherwise and chose a symbol of dialogue
instead.

The university sceptres of the founding faculties were made in 1938
according to the designs of Václav Rada and Ladislav Bartoníček. The chains,
together with medals, are made of gilded silver, the rector’s medal being an
exception – it was minted in a golden compound. As for the newly established
faculties, the authors of the designs and implementations of the insignias
were chosen individually, on the basis of announced contests.

The Faculty of Sport Studies does not have its own insignia.

Faculty of Law

Albín Bráf is a representative of the law field of study – his portrait
is depicted on the medal of the Faculty of Law; the motto “LEX DURA SED LEX”
constitutes the reverse side of the medal.

Faculty of law dean chain - obverseFaculty of law dean chain - reverse

The Faculty of Law chose a figure of Justice holding a sword for its
sceptre.

Faculty of law mace

Faculty of Medicine

This faculty chose a portrait of Jan Evangelista Purkyně with his motto
“MEDICINAE MUNUS – SCIENTIA DE VITA HUMANA”.

Faculty of Education

The medal on the rector’s chain was designed by Václav Adolf Kovanič. The
foreside represents a portrait of J. A. Komenský; the reverse side depicts
hands passing on a torch. The motto of the Faculty of Education is “TRADITIO
LAMPADIS“.

As the burning torch was chosen as the symbol of this faculty, the
sceptre was made according to that (after the design by Eduard Milén). The
insignias originate from 1965.

Faculty of education mace

Faculty of Economics and Administration

The Faculty of Economics and Administration was established in 1991; it
chose a portrait of the first rector of Masaryk University and an
outstanding economist Karel Engliš for the foreside of its medal. The motto
“VÝKONNOST, HOSPODÁRNOST, SOLIDÁRNOST” forms its reverse side and it
constitutes a part of the composition with symbolic church of wisdom and
knowledge.

The capital of the sceptre bears a motive of a winged helmet. The design
of the chain and sceptre was created by sculptor Michal Vitanovský. The
sceptre was made by sculptor Pavel Filip, following Vitanovský’s design. The
faculty has been using its insignias since November 1995.

Faculty of economics and administration mace

Faculty of Informatics

The Faculty of Informatics was established in 1994 as the seventh faculty
of Masaryk University. The faculty has its own insignia since March 2007.
The author of the insignia is the sculptor and art metal caster Jaromír
Gargulák.

The portrait and signature of Kurt Gödel (1906-1978) decorates the
foreside of the medal. Kurt Gödel, who was born in Brno, is considered one
of the most important scientists of all times working in the field of
Mathematics, Logic, and Philosophy. His ground-breaking results became a
part of foundational theoretical results contributing to Informatics as a
scientific discipline with far-reaching practical outcomes. The motif of the
reverse side of the medal is the emblem of the Faculty.

Faculty of informatics dean chain - obverse

The capital of the sceptre refers to the symbol of fire as represented by
Prometheus’s bringing fire to mankind. Fire was once essential for mankind
as a rudimentary technology of versatile use, much alike the present role of
Informatics.

Faculty of informatics mace

Faculty of Social Studies

The expanding Faculty of Social Studies has it own insignias, too. The
designer is Lefteris Joanidis, who is also the author of the faculty logo.
In the case of this faculty, however, the portrait of a distinguished
persona was replaced by the three-dimensional depiction of the faculty
symbol (used both for a one-sided medal and a capital of the sceptre). These
insignias have been used since May 2004.

Faculty of social studies dean chain - obverseFaculty of social studies mace

Faculty of Sports Studies

The Faculty of Sports Studies was established in 2002 as the nineth
faculty of Masaryk University. It has used its insignia since September
2006. The insignia was designed by Lefteris Joanidis.

The dean's chain bears a medal with an engraved logo of the faculty on
its foreside. An inscription kalokagathia decorates the reverse side of the
medal.

Faculty of sport studies dean chain - obverse

The upper part of the sceptr – the capital – is composed of a medal which
bears the logo of the faculty on its foreside and the inscription of
kalokagathia on the reverse side. The laurel garland with gems in the
faculty's colors frames the medal. In this sequence of the lower and upper
parts of the scepter the symbolic appellation is hidden: there is no
victory without fire.